Chandrakanta – Spy Stuff – {Ep.174}

In this episode, we’re going to continue the story of Chandrakanta. Chandrakanta is a fantasy novel written by Devaki Nandan Khatri, though some might say it’s closer to historical science fiction. If you missed the previous two Chandrakanta episodes, you didn’t miss a lot. We introduced the characters and jumped right into all the spying, deception, and political intrigue.

The Setup

At the heart of the story are Prince Virendra of Naugarh and Princess Chandrakanta from neighboring Vijaygarh. The Kingdoms were not really at conflict. In fact the two were betrothed to be married when they were kids. But what was going on now was a cold war. It was largely instigated by Kroor Singh who was in Chandrakanta’s father’s court. The motive was simple – love and money and power. Kroor Singh wanted to marry Chandrakanta, become King of the land and get access to the treasury. Kroor Singh wasn’t a minister himself, but the minister’s son. But administrative jobs were passed on based on Nepotism and not merit.

Each of the main characters had some very special sidekicks. They were Aiyaars. It could be argued that they were the real heroes in this novel, but more on that later.

Now Aiyaars were not magical unlike in the television series. They are just really good at a few things. They were experts at disguise. And they had immense knowledge of Chemistry. They had at their disposal every possible kind of chemical that they could quickly use to do whatever they wanted. Did an aiyaar want to make someone sleep? There was a potion for that. Did an Aiyaar want to make a bald person suddenly hairy? There was a pill for that.

Virendra Singh and Chandrakanta were pining for each other. But Virendra was banned from entering Vijaygarh. So he sent his Aiyyaar Tej Singh to deliver a message. 

Kroor Singh had a similar idea, even though he wasnt banned from the Kingdom and even though Chandrakanta wasn’t pining away for him. 

An Escape from Captivity

Nazim, Kroor Singh’s Aiyyaar, disguised as Champa, was spying on Chandrakanta. But Chapla, Chandrakanta’s other aiyyaar friend spotted this deception. She arrested Nazim and rescued Champa. And if they had fetched the King at that very moment to show him proof of Kroor Singh’s treachery, this novel would have ended right there as a short story. But they decided to wait.

Meanwhile, Tej Singh cleverly managed to trick the palace garden guards so they fell asleep on the job. He then made it into the garden disguised as Chandrakanta’s maid Ketaki. Tej Singh, as Ketaki, delivered the message from Virendra, which moved Chandrakanta to tears. On learning that Nazim was arrested, they all went to the shed where he was arrested. Only to find that he was no longer there. Ahmed, Kroor Singh’s other aiyyaar, rescued Nazim.

So we’ll continue the story with Chandrakanta, Chapla, Champa and Ketaki staring at the prison.

Tej Singh/Ketaki has a plan

“There goes our ticket to getting Kroor Singh fired” Chandrakanta said, a little downcast.

“Was there a ticket in there too?” Champa asked “I thought we only put Nazim in there”

Champa could sometimes take things a little literally. 

“So much for your prison, Chapla” Tej Singh said, in Ketaki’s voice. It was a natural aiyyaar thing to do, to continue the deception even though the Princess and her aiyyaars knew he was Tej Singh, and not actually Ketaki. “Not much of a prison is it? Without a prisoner. Or a lock. Or a broken door”.

Even the ropes that were binding Nazim were in pieces. Tej Singh could tell at a glance. “These are made with an aiyyaar’s knife. See I recognize the cut. But it’s a newer model, so the aiyyaar who made this graduated from aiyyaari school after I did”

“He could have been an earlier graduate and he could have just bought a newer model, couldn’t he?” Chandrakanta questioned.

“I’m glad you asked that rather irrelevant question, Princess,” Chapla replied. “It’s time for a little exposition on aiyyaari for our listeners. You can’t just buy aiyyaari tools on ebay or amazon. That’s not how aiyyaari works. We all go to Aiyyaari school. And there when we graduate, we earn the only knife, disguise kit and chemical mixing kit we ever work with. And even if we arrest someone we don’t take away those things from them. It’s not in the Aiyyaar code”

Tej Singh suddenly stood up. “Yes, yes thank you for the explanation Chapla. But it’s not safe for me to hang around here. Nazim and Ahmed could be watching us. I’ll have to leave. Champa – don’t go poking your nose into other people’s…. Rosebushes. As for me, I’m off to capture Nazim and Ahmed. Chapla – I’m going to show you how it’s done”

Chapla rolled her eyes. “Seriously now? Are you going to mansplain to me how to catch an aiyyaar?”

“Hey it’s not mansplaining if a woman does it” Tej replied, still in Ketaki’s character, and then bidding adieu walked off before Chapla could think of a proper comeback.

Ketaki scolds the guards

Tej Singh, still dressed as Ketaki, walked out of the palace garden. But he needed to do something first. The guards. Sleeping the way they were, they were useless if Kroor Singh did something desperate, like abducting the Princess. So, she shook them awake. The guards woke up with a shock. They begged Ketaki to not tell anyone. Or they might get fired.

“It’s what you deserve for putting the Princess in danger,” Tej Singh said still in Ketaki’s voice, “but I suppose I could let this slide just this once”. Of course, my silence has a price.

The guards emptied their wallets. “It’s not much, and really, I should be getting you to write me I.O.U.s, but hey, I’m feeling generous today. So I’ll let you go. After all, you’ll need to afford your samosa habits”

She walked off with the guards still scratching their heads wondering how Ketaki had known about their Samosas…unless. No, it wasn’t possible. Ketaki couldn’t possibly be linked to that fake palace guard who drugged their samoas.

Nazim and Ahmed are looking for a foot in the door

Tej Singh didn’t go straight back to Virendra. He had made a decent pile of money from the guards. But could he try to double it, while also trying to find Nazim and Ahmed? There were risks of course. But maybe that was what motivated Tej. He strolled around everywhere until he finally spotted Nazim and Ahmed at a chai shop. They were arguing about how exactly to message their abject failure to Kroor Singh.

“I know!” Nazim said suddenly “Let’s tell him we caught Tej Singh, but some aliens with a mind altering ray blasted us out of space”

“Nah,” said Ahmed. “We used that excuse last month”. They continued dejectedly sipping their tea.

Tej Singh saw this opportunity to lure them. And by a happy coincidence, the chaiwallah knew Ketaki by sight. That made it perfect!

“Hi Ketaki! You want some tea for the Princess again?” the chai-wallah or tea seller asked.

“Yeah, sure, but today I want 5 cups of tea. Make it a 3 by 5” Tej singh said, loud enough for Nazim and Ahmed to hear. 

“You have guests today?”

“Sshh don’t tell anyone” Tej Singh hastily replied. He took the tea and walked on.

Ahmed and Nazim heard all this of course, and they couldn’t help wonder who the 5th tea was for. Chandrakanta, her two aiyyaars, of course. Ketaki wouldn’t get a tea, she was just a maid. That left two extra teas. Could it be?! Could it actually be that Prince Veerandra and Tej Singh were there to meet the Princess.

Ketaki has a deal for them….for a price

Quickly, Nazim and Ahmed caught up with Ketaki.

“Ketaki, stop,” Nazim called out.

“And why should I?” asked Tej Singh. “I’m embarrassed to even been seen in your company. You, you loser! Everyone at the palace is talking about what a terrible aiyyaar you are. You let yourself be hoodwinked so easily.”

That embarrassment should have been enough to discourage Nazim, and Ahmed but to their credit they persisted. 

“Ketaki, we think there’s something happening here and we want in on it”

Finally Ketaki showed she was in the mood for some negotiation here. “If I tell you, what will you give me?”

That suddenly opened the doors for negotiation. Ahmed and Nazim had always wanted a spy amongst the Princess’s personal staff. As Ketaki’s reaction was showing here, it was obviously because they had not tried hard enough in the past.

“Ketaki, we’ll get you money. Lots of it”

“Alright, then show me the money,” Tej Singh replied.

Ahmed and Nazim both dug through their wallets and came up with a few hundred rupees. The fake Ketaki laughed at that. “Are you serious? I’m not here selling tea. You want to buy the Princess’s secrets, you have to pay me at least 50 times that amount”

“We’ll pay you in the morning, Ketaki” Nazim implored. But Ketaki wouldn’t listen. 

“Tomorrow morning my information will be worth only those few hundred rupees you’re showing me”.

Suddenly, both Nazim and Ahmed were alert. “Did that mean there was someone with Chandrakanta tonight? Is that who the two extra cups of tea were for?”

But the fake Ketaki refused to speak a word. This was too much for them. Yeah, it was like 1am or something. But they must get money asap. But from where? There weren’t really any ATMs in the city back then. They must get the money then from the only person who could at this hour. That was Kroor Singh. He was sleeping, but with Ketaki’s information he was sure to be happy to be woken up.

Ahmed and Nazim whispered quickly and they agreed. Nazim would go wake up Kroor Singh and fetch the money, while Ahmed would stay here with Ketaki.

“And hurry,” Ketaki said. “This tea is getting cold”

Nazim fetches Kroor Singh

Nazim hurried. He barged into Kroor Singh’s home. Kroor Singh was sleeping soundly. He was snoring in fact. Nazim had no hesitation in walking in and rousing his boss awake.

Kroor Singh did not take kindly to that. “Hey, what’s the big idea?”

But then Nazim described that they had to hurry, if they wanted to catch both Veerendra Singh and Tej Singh red-handed. They needed money fast. Hastily he explained the whole story, including how he was captured, how Ahmed had helped him escape and how they had met Ketaki who seemed ready to rat out on the Princess for a price.

Kroor Singh’s grumpiness disappeared instantly. He put on his pink fluffy bunny slippers and practically ran to his safe. He pulled out a bag filled it with gold. “Here, it’s twice the amount Ketaki asked for, but that too is cheap if we nab both Veerendra and Tej Singh. Just think! The King is going to reward me handsomely for this! And he’ll have Veerendra and Tej executed. That’ll also clear my path. Chandrakanta will be my bride!”

In his excitement, Kroor Singh, still in his pyjamas and pink bunny slippers ran with Nazim to the scene. But when they got there, there wasn’t anyone. No Ahmed, and no Ketaki.

“Maybe they went and sat on a bench somewhere?” Nazim wondered. But there were no benches anywhere. He was still clutching at other straws – maybe Ketaki had to go to deliver the tea? Maybe a stray dog rushed at them and the tea spilled and they went back to the tea shop to fetch some more?

But Kroor Singh realized what had really happened here. Ahmed had been arrested. Captured. Taken away. By someone pretending to be Ketaki. It was suspicious indeed that Ketaki would suddenly agree to switch sides. On the very day that all the other things had happened to Nazim. No, there were too many coincidences here.

So now Kroor Singh was in a spot. With one Aiyyaar less. The only one he had remaining was Nazim. Well, being a misogynist he also thought it was pretty insulting that Nazim had let himself be trapped by Chandrakanta’s aiyyaars, he did not at all think they were formidable.

He was going to learn some lessons here, but that will happen in future episodes when we continue this story. We’ll end it here this time.

Some notes on the show

The previous Chandrakanta episodes were Episode 130 and Episode 137. They are linked on the site sfipodcast.com. Check them out

That’s all for now. 

Next Time

In the next episode, we’ll do a story about Indra, and Agni and how they subject a King to a very cruel test which involves literal pounds of flesh!